How to bake bread

I'm finally getting back into baking bread. By that, I mean I baked a loaf of bread today. Just some simple country white bread. So, if you are interested, here are some steps to follow to bake your own bread. Actually, it's more of a guideline.

Step 1: Feed the yeast
Baking bread is essentially raising your own yeast farm. The yeast needs plenty to eat to thrive. They like the sugars from flour and sugar. Some other ingredients can also be added, depending on the type of bread you are making.

Happy, frothy yeast

Step 2: Beat up the yeast
The P.C. term for this is "kneading", but you are really just beating up the yeast and its food. You usually do this until the dough substance is smooth.

Not yet smooth

Step 3: Let the yeast recover
Yeast after being "kneaded", the yeast likes to take a long rest. Intermittent punching of the yeast and its food is usually required. (Some people make themselves feel better about this abuse by saying it is necessary to remove the air from the dough substance.) During this variable amount of resting time, the yeast will make the dough substance grow.

Shh... nap time

Step 4: Kill the yeast
This entire process just leads to the death of the yeast. You raise them to do a job and once it's completed, you place them into a terribly hot oven to face their death. You  monster.

Delicious yeast graveyard